Take Me Home
by white.raven.1188
Summary: A modern girl finds herself transported to Middle Earth, just in time to accompany 13 dwarves and a hobbit on a quest. What follows is a transformative journey for her. My first fanfiction, so please don't judge me too harshly! Fili/Kili/OFC
1. Prologue

Author's Note: This is my first fanfiction. I will try to update somewhat regularly, but I can't guarantee anything. I hope everyone enjoys this trip through Middle Earth! 

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my original character. Everything else is property of New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc.

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As Gwyndolyn Murphy, or Gwyn as her friends called her, was driving home from a late night class one night, she was complaining to herself about the particularly horrible, rainy weather. Because she was lost in her own thoughts, she did not see the other car run a red light. Just as she noticed the headlights coming towards her side of the car she slammed on the brakes, but it was too late. She felt the two cars collide, and then she didn't know anything else.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my original character. Everything else is property of New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc.

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Gwyn came to, she looked around and did not recognize her surroundings. There were no signs of cars, or streetlights, or even anything that could be called a street by modern standards. Gwyn looked around, and that's when she saw the door, built into the side of a hill. It was a very nice round door, painted green; with a shiny brass doorknob right in the center…it looked remarkably familiar. She went and knocked on the door, and a small man with large hairy feet answered. There was a great deal of singing and shouting coming from inside the hobbit hole, and it was indeed a hobbit hole, with a very irritated homeowner.

"Excuse me, sir, I'm sorry to disturb you, but could you please tell me where I am?" she asked, feeling that in this instance erring on the side of formality would be best.

"Of course it would happen that just when I have a house full of DWARVES of all things, a lunatic knocks on my door and wants to know where she is!" the creature muttered to himself, "you're at my home, in Hobbiton, in the Shire!" he snapped. Just then, a very tall man with a long grey beard peered around the corner. His face fell, as though he had been expecting someone else at the door.

"Let the poor girl in Bilbo, who knows, she may serve some purpose," the old man said. There was something about the way he was looking at her that made Gwyn think that this man, Gandalf the Grey she was sure, would be a good place to start to figure out how she came to Middle Earth, and why she was there.

Gwyn thought she must be going out of her mind. _Did he SERIOUSLY just say I was in HOBBITON, in THE SHIRE?! I think I'm losing my mind…_Gwyn was muttering to herself, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Bilbo Baggins begrudgingly stepped aside, allowing the increasingly flustered Gwyn entry into his home. Gwyn was very glad that she had a history of public speaking and performing on stage, so that she was able to disguise her discomfort at 12 pairs of dwarvish eyes turning to see the newcomer to the party. She was saved further embarrassment when the doorbell rang.

Once Thorin Oakenshield had settled himself in the hobbit's dining room, discussing his plan to reclaim Erebor, he suddenly looked up at Gwyn and demanded that she explain whom she was and what she was doing mingling with his company.

"My name is Gwyndolyn Murphy, but everyone calls me Gwyn. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing here. Last thing I remember, I was on my way home from class, next thing I know, and I'm in Bilbo's front garden."

Many of the different dwarves laughed, but Gandalf sent them all a quelling glare. Gwyn smirked at the reactions of many of the dwarves, who seemed to become rather ashamed of their disbelief, even though she herself couldn't believe that she wasn't dreaming…she'd checked…it had hurt when she pinched herself after Bilbo told her that she was in Hobbiton. Suddenly, she had a rather devious idea, and her smirk grew.

"I'll bet you each five gold coins that I can name you all," she announced to the group. All of the dwarves scoffed, which only made Gwyn more willing to humiliate them. Pointing to each dwarf in turn, she called out "Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Balin, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur…." she paused, letting the dwarves think they had won, when she turned and said "and I mustn't forget the leader of the company, Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror." Gandalf began laughing quite loudly at the dwarves' outrage. As Gwyn began collecting the gold, she caught the eye of Kili, so she tipped him a rather cheeky, flirtatious wink.

When Bilbo was reading the contract outlining his duties as the company's burglar, Gwyn kept watching him closely. When he reached the part of the contract about possible injuries, like incineration and then Bofur began describing the agony of the dragon Smaug's fire, Gwyn motioned to Fili to toss her a cushion, which he did. While Bilbo was trying to compose himself, she did some quick mental math. As Bilbo started to faint, Gwyn slid the cushion across the floor to where she had estimated his head would land, making it there just in time to prevent a hobbit headache. When she received some questioning looks from the others at how she knew the hobbit was going to faint, she just shrugged.

The next morning, she set out with the company for the Lonely Mountain. She had asked Gandalf to send her home the night before, but he had replied that he could not, at least not until after the dwarves finished their quest. Gwyn had very nearly begged Thorin to let her accompany the group, even though she didn't have any skills that would help the journey along. She did not mention the fact that she already knew how the quest was going to end, thanks to a childhood love of reading.

As the Company was riding along, Nori started a wager that Bilbo Baggins would not be joining their company as a burglar. Gwyn smirked and countered his wager, saying that she thought they would have a hobbit serve as a burglar. Several other dwarves chimed in, most of them agreeing with Nori. When Bilbo came running after the dwarves Gwyn just started to laugh at the amazement on so many of their faces.

The rain was pouring down, making everyone grumpy, even Fili and Kili, whom Gwyn had come to associate with the brightening of spirits through goof-ball antics. Dori was whining to Gandalf about the "deluge," and Gwyn had had enough of the complaints, and she could tell that Thorin was also.

"Is this a deluge to you, Master Dwarf? Where I come from, this is a light spring shower!" Gwyn announced to much astonishment from her companions. She even went so far as to push back the hood on her cloak, which had been loaned to her by Fili. When the company stopped to camp for the nights, the rain was still falling, so Gwyn walked away from the group, so that she could quietly enjoy the sensation of rain falling on her face. She had always enjoyed the rain, finding it very soothing, but that was usually when she was safe and warm in her house in front of a roaring fire in the wood stove. However, Gwyn was determined not let her spirits fall, at least, not publicly. She knew that Thorin and the others doubted her survival skills, and she would NOT prove them right. She was so lost in her thoughts Gwyn did not hear the whisper-quiet footsteps of a certain burglar.

"Do you miss your home as much as I miss Bag End?" the question startled Gwyn from her contemplation.

"It's odd," Gwyn murmured, "because I know I _should_ miss my home, but at the same time, the longer I spend on this quest, the less I find myself thinking of home. Perhaps part of that is simply because Thorin has us travelling from first light until late, and I'm just too tired to think of home, but I think part of it might just be I'm getting used to Middle Earth. I just wish there was more I could do on this quest! I am so useless!" she had started out speaking quietly, almost to herself, but the more frustrated she became the louder her voice got.

"I can sympathize completely with your feelings of uselessness. But I think you might have a part to play in this mad journey yet, otherwise Gandalf wouldn't have argued so hard with Thorin to let you come along." Bilbo said.

It was true. Gandalf had vehemently defended his selection of Bilbo as the burglar, and of Gwyn, though he did not deign to assign her a role in the company. Thorin was unhappy at the hobbit, frequently calling him a burden, but he would scarcely even look at Gwyn.

"I'm sorry I shouted. I'm just so confused about everything, and no matter how many times I ask, Gandalf never tells me anything!" Giving herself a shake, Gwyn turned to face Bilbo more fully. "Was there something you needed?"

"Oh, yes. Camp has been built, and Thorin wants us to stay close. Shall we head back?"

"Sure. It's no good being out here alone with my thoughts, they just get more snarled and tangled the longer I think them." With that, the two misfits headed back to the dwarves camp.

Immediately upon their return, Fili and Kili noticed that Gwyn was soaking wet. Each brother took one of her arms, and led her over to the fire that Gloin had miraculously been able to build, given the damp wood. After Bombur had announced that supper was ready to be dished up, Kili rushed to get a bowl of stew for Gwyn, claiming that she needed to stay as close to the fire as she could stand so that she could dry out a bit. Gwyn noted with some surprise that her hair had just barely reached her jawbone, but now it was to her shoulders, and had already begun to dry, and while it might have been straight upon her arrival in Middle Earth, it now fell in wild waves.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my original character. Everything else is property of New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc.

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The next few days of the journey passed uneventfully, although thankfully the rain had stopped. When the Company had stopped to make camp, Gandalf walked over to the ruins of a farm house. He urged Thorin to keep moving, but the stubbornness of dwarves was legendary, and Thorin mulishly ignored the wizard. Frustrated by the response, Gandalf stormed off, snapping at Bilbo on the way. Gwyn shrugged to herself as she set about removing their packs from the backs of the ponies before Fili and Kili took them to a better grazing spot. She thought that much of the tension that ran through the Company resulted from the sensitivity of competing male egos, but no one asked her opinion.

When Gwyn realized where they had stopped to make camp though, she began voicing concerns that perhaps Gandalf had been right. Thorin ignored her advice as easily as he'd ignored Gandalf's. Gwyn huffed, marveling at how utterly pig-headed their leader was.

Later that night, Fili came running back to the camp, from where he had supposedly been watching the ponies with Kili, to inform the company that their burglar was in a great deal of troll-shaped trouble. She pointedly rolled her eyes towards Thorin, the "Gandalf and I told you so" blatant in the action. Even though she was unarmed, she still ran with the company to her friend's aid. When she reached the trolls' clearing she quickly took stock of the situation. There was a fire in the center of the clearing, and the thirteen dwarves were swarmed around the trolls' feet, most of them hacking and slashing with various blades, and Ori aiming his slingshot at the trolls' faces. Bilbo was over by the pen the trolls were keeping the ponies in, trying to figure out the best way to free the beasts.

Thinking quickly, Gwyn began to climb a nearby tree. Once she deemed the height sufficient, she began to drop stones that she had collected upon the heads of the trolls, distracting them. However, even with the advantage of superior numbers, the company was forced to lay down arms to save Bilbo. One of the trolls reached up into Gwyn's tree and snatched her from her perch.

Gwyn was mildly humiliated that she was tied into a bag up to her neck about to be eaten by trolls. When she heard Bilbo start to try and stall for time before the dawn she cheered, inwardly, until the troll that had grabbed her from the tree picked her up once again and was threatening to just eat her raw. Just then, she saw movement from the corner of her eye, and realized that it was Gandalf. Unfortunately for Gwyn, the troll did not release her as he was turned to stone, which led to a great deal of being shaken about. Once the rest of the company was free from their bags and the roasting spit, she was still imprisoned within the grasp of the stone troll. She hollered down to the group, asking someone to cut her down, because thankfully, the troll had grasped her by the bag, and not 'round her body, otherwise she would have never been freed. Gandalf obliged, apologizing for his absentmindedness. Once Gwyn was freed of the bag as well, she realized that she was clothed in nothing but her bra and panties. She could feel the eyes of every member of the Company on her as she set about looking for her clothes.

"Are you lot enjoying the view?" she snapped, "well, get a good long look, because that's all you're getting!" Gwyn declared, finally locating the pile of her clothes. Bofur began laughing heartily at her sass, and as she dressed, Gwyn was starting to feel like maybe she did belong, after all.

When the Company located the trolls' cave, Gwyn opted to stand outside, stating wryly that she would rather not be reminded of any ex-boyfriends by virtue of the stench emanating from the cave. She could hear the dwarves chattering about the gold in the hoard, and something about "making a long term deposit," but Gwyn found herself paying more attention to the sounds of the forest around them. As such, she could hear something approaching rapidly through the brush. Just as she was about to sound an alarm, Gandalf and the others appeared. Fili and Kili were just about to ask why she seemed tense as a bowstring, when Gandalf called out to prepare for an attack.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my original character. Everything else is property of New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc. The idea for wargs responding to calls of other wargs was inspired by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when Hermione describes werewolves.

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Not for the first time, Gwyn cursed her lack of weaponry. _Hell, _she thought, _even the _hobbit_ has a knife now, and I'm left defenseless!_ Gwyn had seen Gandalf give a short blade to Bilbo from the corner of her eye shortly after the Wizard emerged from the trolls' cave. She began scanning the ground for anything that she could use to defend herself, when a strange man riding a sled pulled by large rabbits burst into the clearing. Gandalf immediately relaxed and declared the newcomer was his friend, Radagast the Brown, a fellow Wizard. Gwyn mentally smacked herself on the forehead for not remembering that bit of the story.

While Gandalf and Radagast discussed the sickness of the Greenwood, Gwyn kept one ear on the Wizards' and one ear on the sounds of the forest. She could hear movement approaching the company from above the cave. Once again, just as she was about to call attention to it, the noise stopped, and a long, loud howl sounded nearby. Bilbo was obviously nervous by the sound and proximity, and this nervousness was increased one hundred-fold when Bofur mentioned that the howl was not made by a wolf, but by a warg. After the warg-scout appeared over the crest of the cave and was promptly dispatched, Thorin and Gandalf began to argue over how the warg and subsequent orc pack could have known about the quest. Gwyn rolled her eyes and with a shrill whistle, drew attention to the fact that the Company needed to hoof it away from the carcass, before the rest of the wargs found them. Radagast volunteered to lead the wargs and their orcish riders away so that the Company could escape.

Radagast and his Rhosgobel rabbits began leading the wargs and riders away, the dwarves, girl, hobbit, and Wizard began running, taking cover behind large rock formations. It looked to Gwyn that the orcs had caught on surprisingly quickly to Radagast's plan, and were splintering off to look for the dwarves. Quickly scanning the situation, Gwyn had a brilliantly stupid idea, thinking of something she'd heard about werewolves answering the call of their own. She wondered if the wargs were that stupid. _Only one way to find out_, she mentally shrugged, before motioning to get Thorin's attention. He looked dubious about her plan after she whispered it to him, but allowed her to proceed. After mapping the area, Gwyn cupped her hands near her mouth, and released a howl that was a remarkable imitation of the wargs' calls. The brilliant trick to her plan was the fact that Gwyn could throw her voice, and so her howl sounded off to the right of the pack. When the creatures began following the sound of her call she did a mental victory dance. The company quickly scurried to the next rocky outcropping, and Gwyn repeated her trick, this time sending the pack off in the opposite direction than they had been heading in.

After Gwyn's trick had worked a second time, the company looked at her in astonishment, to which she shrugged. Her triumph was short-lived however, because soon after that, she could hear a warg and rider scenting for the company from the top of the very rock they were hiding behind. As Thorin motioned to Kili to shoot the beast, Gwyn borrowed one of Fili's twin swords and snuck around behind where she calculated the beast and rider would fall. She caught Kili's eye and suggested, using modified sign language, that he aim for the warg's throat. Thorin gave the signal, and the warg fell, an arrow embedded perfectly in its voice box, silencing it. Just as the orc was about to scream, alerting the rest of the pack to the company's whereabouts, Gwyn used Fili's borrowed sword to slit the orc's throat from behind. Again, her actions were met with looks of amazement. Gwyn rolled her eyes before informing Fili that she was going to hang on to his sword for the time being. He did not have time to respond, as they were soon set upon by more of the pack. Fili's sword was somewhat unwieldy in her hands, but Gwyn was able to effectively defend herself.

Suddenly, Gandalf's head popped up from behind a rock, calling the Company over. With Kili covering the retreat, Gwyn heard the sounds of horns being sounded and horse hooves as she vaulted over the rock Gandalf appeared behind, and she slid down a hidden chute, landing gracefully on her feet at the bottom. One by one, the rest of the Company slid down, most of them landing in a heap at the bottom. Gwyn passed the borrowed sword back to Fili with her thanks when he finally extricated himself from the pile of dwarves.

"It was my pleasure, Miss Gwyn," he responded with a smile, "although, if I may ask, how did you think to slit that orc's throat?" She smiled and shrugged as Kili joined his brother and Gwyn.

Thorin marched over and was quite angry at Gwyn, and at Gandalf. "What in the name of Aulë was that?! Never have I seen such utter stupidity on a field of battle!" Gwyn bristled, and the rest of the company began watching with a certain amount of wariness.

"Well, I'm sorry I just saved EVERYBODY'S lives with my foolishness! If I hadn't slit the orc's throat, we would have had even more trouble, because he would have alerted the others to our location!" Gwyn snapped. Many members of the Company nodded in agreement with her reasoning.

Just then, Dwalin called from the back of the cave they were hidden in, asking if they should follow the path he had found. Before anyone had time to answer, Gwyn stormed off, angrily brushing past Dwalin. She could hear Fili and Kili both following closely behind her, and the rest of the Company behind them, and Gandalf, Bilbo, and Thorin bringing up the rear. Fili and Kili caught up to her, and they were trying to placate Gwyn, and calm her from what was revealing itself to be a truly formidable temper.

Gwyn was the first of the Company to spot the end of the tunnel they were in, so she was the first to see the Valley of Imladris. She took a deep breath of clean, fresh air, and turned to Fili and Kili, scowl replaced with a bright smile. She began laughing at the brothers' responses to her sudden shift in mood. While Gwyn was pleased at the turn of events, Thorin's already dark look grew even darker at his realization of the fact that Gandalf had led the dwarves straight to the elves.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my original character. Everything else is property of New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc.

Author's Note: Thank you to the people who have reviewed this story thus far! In response to the anonymous review asking about Legolas, I'm not sure how large of a role he will play in Take Me Home, I haven't figured that out yet.

* * *

The dwarves had just crossed the threshold into the courtyard of Rivendell when a tall, well-dressed elf with an intricate circlet resting on his head appeared. Gandalf greeted the elf as a friend and asked to speak to Lord Elrond, the master of Rivendell. The elf, Lindir, Gwyn realized, said that Lord Elrond was not at home. Just then the elven horns the Company had heard earlier sounded, and armored elves mounted on horses crossed the bridge into the courtyard. The dwarves quickly circled up, facing outward, drawing their assorted weapons. Fili and Kili shunted Gwyn behind them to protect her. Gwyn, personally, did not see what all the fuss was about, until the elves began circling their horses around the dwarves. That was when Gwyn began to get a bit nervous.

Lord Elrond dismounted his horse, and was speaking in Elvish with Gandalf. From his tone Gwyn could tell that he was being hospitable, but Gloin heard insult in the elf's voice. Gandalf rolled his eyes and heaved a long suffering sigh, explaining that Lord Elrond had offered the Company of dwarves food and lodging. The dwarves lowered their weapons and allowed the elves to lead them to a dining porch, where a light supper had been prepared.

Gwyn thought the Elvish harps and flutes were very soothing, and she quickly found herself relaxing. She was seated between Fili and Kili, and as the dinner progressed, she grew bolder and more flirtatious. Until this point in the journey Gwyn had mostly been quiet, occasionally surprising the others, as she had with the attitude she had shown while searching for her clothes in the trolls' clearing.

Gwyn and the other members of the Company seated at the long table were chatting comfortably when Kili was caught staring at the elven musicians, the elf-maid playing the harp especially. At Dwalin's blank stare Kili began hem and haw, trying to cover the fact that he did actually find elves appealing, lack of facial hair and all. Gwyn, from her spot between Kili and his brother, each with an arm draped around her casually, began to smirk. Dwalin raised an eyebrow at her mischievous expression, and in response she subtly winked. Turning slightly towards Kili, she asked, still smirking, "Well, if you don't like elf-maids, what do you like?" The rest of the table began to laugh heartily at Gwyn's boldness, surprised though they were at it, when Fili and Kili both turned to her, matching her smirk with their own, and said "Why, Gwyn, surely you've realized that _you_ are the very maid we have dreamed about, since even before we knew you!"

Gwyn's eyes widened briefly before she shot back with "If that's true, then what are you two going to do about it?" Fili and Kili were not expecting such a response, so they could not answer. Bofur nodded approvingly at the cheekiness of the response, as the rest of the table began laughing again. When Gwyn looked down at her plate to pick up another bite of elven bread, the two brothers shot each other a significant look over her head. For all of their purported cluelessness, few of the dwarves at the table missed the look, and after Gwyn excused herself, and the brothers wandered off to speak to their uncle, Nori flashed a shark-like grin at the others, and soon wagers were being made, as to how long the three young members of the Company would be dancing around each other.

After leaving the dining porch, Gwyn somehow found her way to the women's bathing chambers. She stripped out of her clothes and waded into the warm, lavender scented water. As she luxuriated in the water, Gwyn found herself thinking back on the journey thus far, and she found her face flushing from the heat of the water and from thoughts of her audacity at dinner. She could not believe her boldness in response to Fili's and Kili's flirtatious attentions. As she scrubbed her skin of the grime of weeks on the road, Gwyn wondered if they had merely been teasing her, or if there was some truth to their words. If Gwyn was going to be truly honest with herself, she wasn't sure which option she preferred. She also wasn't sure which brother she preferred, she was equally attracted to both brothers, and that confused her.

Gwyn emerged from the bath a considerable time later, clean and smelling faintly of lavender. She wrapped herself in a towel, and decided to apply one of the lotions she found nearby, which also smelled of lavender. Gwyn sat before a small vanity tucked into an alcove of the bathing chambers, and began to comb out her hair, musing all the while. When she had arrived in Middle Earth, Gwyn's hair had been cut into a neat bob, just barely reaching below her jaw. Now it reached past her shoulder blades in gentle waves. Gwyn also noticed that she was leaner and lightly muscled, like a dancer. Somewhere along the journey to Middle Earth, Gwyn's glasses had been lost, but she found herself not needing them. It was as if her eyesight had somehow completely corrected itself, granting her perfect vision.

Once Gwyn had completely untangled her hair, she moved to begin redressing, unhappy at the thought of putting on her dirty clothes. However, when she reached the spot where she had left them in a pile on the floor, they were gone. Instead, Gwyn found a neatly folded pile of clothes, obviously meant for her. In the place of her jeans, she found soft leggings, in place of her t-shirt there was a soft tunic and light undershirt. Her chunky, heeled boots had been replaced with lighter weight moccasin-like boots, that she was sure would protect her feet more comfortably than her original boots had. There was also a chainmail shirt, leather bracers for her forearms, a sturdy but flexible leather corset, and a belt. All of these clothes were woven in dappled shades of green, brown, grey, and black which would provide camouflage on the journey. The leather bracers and corset were tooled with intricate designs that reminded Gwyn of the Celtic knots that she admired from her home. Folded up nearby Gwyn saw a leather coat, similar to what the dwarves wore, lined with soft fur. Mercifully, whoever had taken her old clothes, _probably to be burned,_ Gwyn thought, had left her bra. Underneath the neatly folded pile of new clothes, Gwyn also found some soft cotton underwear. Dressing quickly, Gwyn decided to leave off the bracers and chailmail off until the company departed from Rivendell.

Fully dressed in her new clothes, all of which fit her perfectly, Gwyn began making her way towards the veranda where the Company would be sleeping during their stay in Rivendell. Rivendell was huge, but all Gwyn had to do was to listen for boisterous dwarven laughter, and eventually she found the others. What her new boots lacked in height, they made up for in stealth. She quietly crept up on the dwarves, before loudly clearing her throat. It pleased her greatly when several members of the Company, including Dwalin, jumped in surprise. Suddenly, she was very aware of 14 pairs of eyes staring at her new attire. Emboldened by the feelings of being clean and wearing clean clothes, she gave a little spin. Bofur and Nori catcalled her, while many of the others applauded the transformation. Poor little Ori stutteringly told her that her new clothes suited her quite well. Bilbo exclaimed that she was like a whole new person, and that she seemed much more comfortable. She smiled and thanked everyone for their compliments, throwing winks to Bofur and Nori, who both pretended to swoon. Of all the members of the Company, Thorin, Dwalin, Fili, and Kili were silent, though for different reasons. Thorin and Dwalin were coolly assessing the suitability of her clothes for their journey, while Fili and Kili were stunned into muteness. They soon recovered themselves, and rushed over to begin their flirtations with Gwyn anew.

Soon the various members of the Company began falling asleep, their snores punctuating the growing stillness of the night. Gwyn, Fili, and Kili stayed up talking much later than the others. The brothers had been explaining dwarven customs to Gwyn, particularly those surrounding courtship. Eventually though, Gwyn began dozing off as well. She heard a bit of shuffling, and some muffled whispers, but she was too tired to question it. She fell into a deeper sleep, unaware of the fact that she was sandwiched between Fili and Kili, their combined warmth granting her a more comfortable night than she'd had since before arriving in Middle Earth.

The next morning, Gwyn awoke, refreshed, when the dwarves began their own morning rituals. Stretching, Gwyn finally noticed that there two bedrolls on either side of the one Gandalf had managed to scrounge up for her at the start of the journey. She recognized them as belonging to Fili and Kili, and she felt herself flush, though whether it was from embarrassment or something else, she couldn't say. Noticing that she was awake, Fili and Kili made their ways over to her.

"Gwyn, I don't mean to alarm you, but you seem to have shrunk in the night!" Kili exclaimed, looking at her. It was true, without the extra inches provided by her old boots, Gwyn was now only slightly taller than Bilbo. Gwyn laughed and pointed out that her old boots granted her the extra height. Fili and Kili both draped an easy arm around her shoulders as the company headed back to the dining porch for breakfast. Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin watched the trio's interactions with sharp eyes.

After breakfast, the dwarves split up to resupply for when the company set off on their journey again. Gwyn was wandering aimlessly through the halls of Rivendell when she encountered Lord Elrond.

"Good morning my lord," Gwyn said quietly.

"Good morning to you as well, Mistress Gwyndolyn, was it? You are the girl not from Middle Earth travelling with the company of dwarves, are you not?" Elrond asked.

"I am my lord, although I usually go by Gwyn. I wanted to thank you on behalf of my self and my companions for your hospitality."

"You are most welcome, Mistress Gwyn. Tell me, how are you finding your journey?"

"To be perfectly honest my lord, I am still quite confused as to my role on this quest. I am not a warrior, nor am I a tracker, nor do I have any other useful skills for the dwarves' purposes," Gwyn answered. While the pair were conversing, they also began walking. Lord Elrond seemed to be guiding Gwyn somewhere, but she was not sure where.

"You may find, my dear, that you have skills you do not know you possess. You may surprise yourself," Lord Elrond replied with a small smirk.

"Somehow, I doubt that. I mean, back home I was a student. I would read and research things all day. That does not a warrior make," Gwyn replied.

"Do you find yourself missing your home? Do you wish you could go back?" the elf lord questioned.

"Yeah, I do miss home, and I am worried about my family. I have no idea if they know where I am, or how they're handling my disappearance. I don't even know if time passes the same way here as it does there. For all I know, it could be an hour later there, even though weeks have passed here. That being said, if I were given the choice, I'm not sure I would go back. It's a bit strange, but I almost feel more at home _here_ than I ever did when I was actually at home. I mean, I'm even physically changing to fit in better here. And then there's the fact that these clothes _mysteriously_ fit me perfectly," at that she turned to Lord Elrond with a raised eyebrow. He simply smiled serenely, gesturing for her to enter the doors they had reached during their conversation. As she entered, Gwyn realized that Lord Elrond had led her to the training grounds.

Looking around, Gwyn noticed Gandalf, Thorin, Dwalin, Fili and Kili were standing near a table looking at something arrayed on top. Approaching the group, she saw the rest of the Company in bleachers nearby. As she drew near, Gandalf was the first person to see her. He strode over to her, commenting on her new clothes, and stating that they suited her quite well. He led her over to the table, upon which were arrayed a variety of weapons, including knives of several different sizes and shapes, a bow carved from rich, dark wood, and twin swords in their sheaths.

"We figure it's probably a good idea if you know how to fight, so we're all going to teach you!" Kili exclaimed enthusiastically. Fili smiled, while Thorin and Dwalin merely nodded. Gwyn raised an incredulous eyebrow before looking at the weapons on the table. She began with the bow, hefting it in her right hand, examining it closely.

"Short, recurve bow, lightweight but sturdy," Gwyn muttered to herself, as she tested the bowstring, "good tension, the design of the bow allows for more power behind each arrow, especially if it's overdrawn." She picked up an arrow, examining it as well, "The design of the bow combined with the particular fletching on the arrows would provide for a quieter release than most recurve bows typically allow, which would be good for stealth attacks." Nocking the arrow, she quickly took aim at a target at the end of the range, smoothly drew the bowstring taut, and loosed the arrow, striking the target dead center. Three more arrows quickly followed, all striking the center of the target.

Setting down the bow, Gwyn turned her attention to the various knives. So intent was she in her examination, she completely missed the looks of disbelief exchanged between the other members of the Company, nor did she see the knowing smiles upon the faces of Gandalf and Lord Elrond. There were four very short knives that tapered sharply from the hilt to the tip. Picking one of the knives up, Gwyn began muttering to herself again, "small throwing knives, meant to be concealed in the boot, one on each side of the calf." Spinning around towards the target again, she drew her left arm across her body and released the knife in her hand, striking the target near her cluster of arrows. Moving on to two of the longer knives she commented that their long, thin blades would be ideal for slipping between an enemy's ribs, puncturing a lung. The design of those knives, she noted, meant that they could be concealed easily within bracers, like those she had found the night before. They lacked a cross guard, simply transitioning smoothly from handle to blade. The last two knives she saw were very similar to the Bowie knives she knew from home, the blades wide and slightly curved, but sharpened only on one edge. Their sheaths were designed to be strapped around the thigh, accessible through the slits in the sides of a tunic. The last knife she came to was unique in its shape. It had a thin, short, tapered blade but the cross guard was what drew her attention. The cross guard was gently arched on either side of the grip, and Gwyn blushed as she realized it was meant to be concealed in a bodice, resting between a woman's breasts.

Finishing her assessment of the assorted knives, Gwyn began to study the twin swords. "These are strange blades, not of Dwarven make like Fili's swords, these were made by the smiths of Gondolin. They are lightweight, but I'd reckon they would be strong enough to withstand any opponent." Holding the sheathed swords up to eye-level, Gwyn's eyes widened. "These swords can be united at the pommel, creating one double ended sword! When the blades are united, it seems as though the double sword could be used almost like a staff, while separately the swords could be used for both offense and defense." Drawing the swords, Gwyn began to move, almost as though dancing, through a series of postures, demonstrating the uses of the blades. When she united the swords, her movements changed, relying less on her own movements, and more on the design of the weapon.

She dimly heard an impressed whistle from nearby, and blinking, she began to become more aware of her surroundings. Realizing what had just happened, she separated the double sword and sheathed the blades. Turning sharply to Gandalf she demanded, "How did I know all that?! I have never handled weapons like this before IN MY LIFE, so how the hell did I know the different purposes and hiding places for all these knives, how did I know what to look for in a bow, and more importantly, how in the name of God did I know how to use the twin swords, because these particular swords are very unique in their design! I want answers Gandalf!" Gwyn was breathing heavily, but Gandalf just smiled serenely before excusing himself. Lord Elrond also took his leave of the Company. Gwyn was just about to start shouting abuse at their retreating backs when Dwalin cleared his throat sharply.

"That was an impressive display of skills and knowledge of weaponry, lass, but what are you going to do if you are disarmed? I'd wager you still need to learn hand to hand combat."

Gwyn's eyes hardened and she moved to the center of the training room. Several members of the Company, including Fili, Kili, Thorin, Dwalin, Gloin, Bofur, and Nori surrounded her. _Circle of Death_, Gwyn thought, _this will be fun_. Allowing a small smirk to grace her lips, she closed her eyes, listening closely to the opponents surrounding her. The dwarves around her looked confused at her actions, but they soon began attacking her from all sides. She gracefully dodged their blows, while managing to land powerful hits of her own. Nori and Bofur were the first two attackers to leave the ring, followed by Gloin. Kili was expelled when Gwyn nailed him in the stomach with a horse kick when he tried to attack her from behind, while Fili simultaneously came at her side. Gwyn grabbed Fili's arm, pinning it behind him, before tossing him from the ring. The brothers both laughed at the ferocity in Gwyn's eyes as she faced down Thorin. While her attention was centered on their leader, Dwalin crept up behind her and wrapped his huge forearm around her neck. Turning her head slightly to the side so that the large dwarf was not cutting off her air supply, Gwyn stomped on one of his feet, hard, before grounding herself and tossing Dwalin to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Chuckling breathlessly at the dwarf's attempts to regain the air she had knocked from his lungs, Gwyn refocused on Thorin, now the only assailant left. The two opponents circled each other, looking for openings in the other's guard, when Thorin rushed at her like a charging bull. He was obviously counting on her being caught off guard by his actions, but Gwyn merely grasped Thorin by the collar of his tunic, planted a foot in his stomach, and allowed his momentum to throw her backwards. Gwyn then used the foot in his midsection and her grip on his collar to throw him across the training grounds. As Thorin landed hard Gwyn continued her backwards roll and got to her feet. She was just about to declare her victory over the dwarves when Gwyn herself suddenly hit the ground hard as she was tackled from the side.

Gwyn felt large hands pinning her wrists to the ground as a weight settled on her midsection. Looking up, she saw Kili smiling down at her. She smirked up at him, and asked, "What's the problem? Don't you know what to do when you've got a girl underneath you?" Kili smirked and began to describe exactly what to do to a girl in Gwyn's position. While Kili was distracted, Gwyn discreetly shifted beneath him, wrapping her right foot around Kili's leg as he straddling her. Once she was in position, Gwyn pushed up powerfully, flipping them so that she was straddling Kili. His eyes widened when she asked him if he yielded. He conceded defeat and she stood gracefully before helping Kili up.

Gwyn was covered in a sheen of sweat from her exertions, her hair sticking to her face and neck, and she was out of breath. Fili and Kili each draped an arm around her shoulders, laughing at how much she surprised everyone with her skills. She heard Gandalf and Lord Elrond laughing from the doorway. Turning, she noticed the creeping wariness in the expressions of the dwarves and the hobbit, but she simply shrugged. The elf-lord and the Wizard approached her, praising her skills.

"Did I not say that you would surprise yourself, Mistress Gwyn? It seems as though I was right, and you had skills you did not know you possessed," Lord Elrond said. "Those weapons have been sitting in my armory for ages, and since you were so skillful with them, they are my gift to you."

"I could not accept such generosity my lord," Gwyn demurred, "and I still wish to know how it was that I knew how to use the weapons, however, I am willing to wait for my answers, for the time being." When the others were confused about her change in attitude she explained, "The nice thing about sparring is that it forces a person to focus on the immediate future, where the next attack will come from and how to defend against it, while also analyzing your opponent's weaknesses. Today's matches allowed me to realize that I will get my answers when Gandalf is ready to give them, even if I want them now, Gandalf has deemed that I am not yet ready for them, so I shall wait. However, I reserve the right to request a sparring match with anyone in the company, should the Wizard prove to be too frustrating." The others laughed, and agreed that her attitude had much improved after the vigorous exercise. As the company began filing out to continue with their day, Gwyn hung back to speak with Lord Elrond.

"Mistress Gwyn, I must insist that you accept my gift of these weapons. They are perfectly suited to you, and they will be happier being of use on your quest than if they were to remain in my armory," Lord Elrond said. Realizing that to refuse the elf-lord's generosity a second time would be exceedingly rude, Gwyn nodded, thanking him.

"I would ask a favor my lord. I have heard stories of your skills in the healing arts, and I fear the Company is woefully undersupplied in this respect, but I would like your permission to raid your store cupboards to pack a small satchel with healing plants, especially the herb athelas. If we have already encountered one orc pack, there will surely be more, and I would feel more at ease knowing we would be able to heal any resulting injuries," Gwyn requested quietly.

"Certainly Mistress Gwyn. I will pack the satchel myself. I will have it prepared before you set off again," Lord Elrond said, holding up a hand to stop her protests. "You will need other supplies as well, so I will leave you to pack those. When you return to your sleeping quarters you will find a new pack and bedroll ready for your use." Gwyn stammered her thanks before the regal elf walked away.

Grabbing her new weapons, Gwyn began to make her way to the dwarves' veranda, before going to the bathing chambers. Once she was clean and redressed it was time for supper. Gwyn's stomach growled, as she had not eaten since breakfast. On her way to the dining porch, Gwyn encountered Gandalf, who offered to escort her to supper.

"I overheard you asking Lord Elrond for healing plants for the journey. I was particularly intrigued to hear you request athelas. Whatever for, may I ask?"

"As I said to Lord Elrond, I would feel more at ease simply knowing that we had it, should the need arise. As I have always said, it is better to have something and not need it, than to need something and not have it," Gwyn answered.

"Wise words indeed, Gwyn. And you are right, I will grant you your answers in due time, but right now I can only say that you will accomplish great things."

"Thank you Gandalf, I can only hope you are right."

"My dear, seldom am I wrong. And unless I am much mistaken right now, it smells as though supper will be more than salad tonight!"

"That should please the others greatly, although I don't think the elves will find their table manners satisfactory at all, if last night's display was any indication."

The two reached the dining porch, and Gandalf went to sit with Thorin and Lord Elrond, leaving Gwyn to take her place between Fili and Kili. As Gandalf had predicted there was a hearty venison roast steaming on the table and as Gwyn had predicted, supper was a raucous affair, and many of the elves looked affronted at the dwarves' crude manners. Gwyn merely laughed at the elves' distaste, especially Lindir, who looked positively green at the dwarves' behavior. For a second night, Bofur entertained everyone with his antics, and Gwyn surprised everyone at the table, yet again, when she began to chime in on the choruses of his songs. Gwyn was comfortable around the dwarves now, and so enjoyed the elves' expressions, that she even sang drinking songs that she had learned at home, much to the pleasure of everyone.

Soon, the company retired to their veranda, while Bilbo, Thorin, Balin, and Gandalf consulted with Lord Elrond about Thorin's map. As Lord Elrond had promised, her ratty bedroll had been replaced with a much newer, nicer one, that was also certainly warmer than the old one had been. Resting on her bedroll, was a new leather pack, that looked as though there were already things inside. Examining the outside of the pack, Gwyn noticed that the designs tooled into the leather matched those of her bracers, corset, and even the designs etched into her new weapons. Looking inside, Gwyn found spare clothes, including undergarments, a small sack of coins, a weapons care kit, a woven cloak, and an even smaller sack. Intrigued by the smaller sack, Gwyn opened it, to find several beads and clasps, similar to those worn by the dwarves to secure their braids. Fili and Kili had explained the night before the significance of braids in dwarven culture, especially in relation to courtship, and Gwyn blushed at the contents of the sack she held in her hand, thinking of the implications. She quickly closed the sack and hid it at the bottom of her pack before anyone asked about it.

As she was repacking the contents of her new pack, Bofur finally noticed what Gwyn was doing.

"Whatcha got there Lassie?" he asked.

"It is a new pack, obviously." Gwyn snarked.

"I can see that, but I think we are all wondering where you got such a fine thing. You're not taking lessons from Nori, are you?" Nori tossed a pillow at the back of Bofur's head at the implied insult.

"Of course I didn't steal it! It was a gift from Lord Elrond!"

"Well, he certainly has been bestowing quite a lot of gifts on you. I wonder why that is?" Fili mused. If Gwyn hadn't been paying attention, she wouldn't have noticed the slightly jealous tone in his voice, nor would she have noticed Kili's frown.

"I'd imagine that it is because he pities me, as I was so ill-prepared for this journey when we first arrived here. It also seems as though only he and Gandalf know exactly what my purpose is here, so that could have something to do with it, as well." Gwyn answered. Setting the pack aside, she sat on her bedroll, and she was soon joined by Fili and Kili taking their now customary places on either side of her. The Company began settling down for the night, telling stories and jokes, and one by one she began to hear snores rising from her companions. Once again, she, Fili, and Kili stayed up talking, and once again, she fell asleep sandwiched between the two brothers. Once they were certain she was asleep, they crept closer to her, each one wrapping a possessive arm around the girl's sleeping form.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my original character. Everything else is property of New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc.

Author's Note: I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up. Real life has been crazy with classes and work, I had a hard time finding time to write. And when I did find time to write, it was an outline for another story! The main character of that story kind of grabbed my by the roots of my hair, and wouldn't let me go until she was satisfied with the outline for her story. Don't worry though, I won't abandon Gwyn's journey! I'm not even going to let myself write anything other than outlines for other stories until I finish this one.

Now without further ado, let us jump back into our tale!

* * *

The Company stayed in Rivendell only long enough for Thorin to receive Lord Elrond's guidance on his grandfather's map. Within days of that meeting, the Company set out once more, this time though, Gandalf would be meeting up with them. He had said that he still had business to attend to in Rivendell, but that the rest of the Company should set out without him.

Gwyn was relieved that the time spent in Rivendell had better prepared her for the second leg of the journey. In her pack she carried several rations of dried meat as well as dried fruit; a satchel that Lord Elrond had filled with plants, pastes, and creams, all with healing purposes; and a long length of rope, which she recognized as _hithlain_ from the land of Lothlorien. She surmised by the presence of the _hithlain_ that the Lady Galadriel was in Rivendell, and had given Gwyn the rope. Gwyn anticipated its usefulness, and was forever grateful to the elf-lady for her gift. Gwyn's pack also carried spare arrowheads, and other supplies necessary for crafting arrows, as well as several maps of the lands they would be crossing on their journey to Erebor.

Gwyn was certain that only Fili was more armed than she was, with secret knives stashed everywhere on his person, but she was surprisingly comfortable at the fact that she was no longer helpless in the face of danger. The other members of the company also seemed relieved that Gwyn could use her new weapons quite skillfully in case things went crossways. Fili and Kili seemed especially pleased at Gwyn's new confidence that came with being able to defend herself and her friends. This newfound confidence frequently resulted in a cheekiness that rivaled Bofur's, much to the delight of the rest of the Company.

After several nights of crossing flat terrain, the Company began climbing a gentle slope into the passes of the Misty Mountains. True to their name, within hours of entering the mountains, the air quickly chilled and grew damp with mist. The Company had to slow their pace to compensate for the decreased visibility and increasingly treacherous terrain. The higher the company climbed, the worse the weather got, until finally everyone was soaked to the bone with cold rain. When Gwyn muttered under her breath about the chill the dwarves began laughing at her misery.

"I thought rain like this was a mild spring shower in your homeland?" Dori remarked with a small smirk.

"It does rain a great deal where I come from, but that doesn't mean I can't complain about being cold and wet," Gwyn retorted, dark hair clinging to her face in wet strings, even though she wore the leather coat and cloak that Lord Elrond had gifted to her, and the hood of the cloak was pulled up to cover her head. "Although I suppose we should all be glad it is only raining and not snowing as is common in the mountain passes near my home," Gwyn said. The rest of the Company nodded in agreement that indeed, their situation could be worse.

Soon though, the Company's situation did grow worse, and they were stuck in the middle of a thunderstorm while crossing the High Pass of the Misty Mountains. The wind whipped around the Company as they struggled to see where they were going through the driving rain along a ledge that was barely wide enough for one person to pass unhindered. Thorin called out to the rest of the members of the Company that they needed to find shelter quickly.

"No shit," Gwyn muttered, before parts of the mountain began raining down on the Company. Everyone cowered against the side of the mountain, and Fili and Kili both tried to shield Gwyn in her position between the two brothers. Balin shouted that they were in the middle of a thunder battle, rather than a thunderstorm. As Bofur realized that the combatants were stone giants, Gwyn grabbed the back of his coat, just in time to haul him back away from the edge of the ledge they were on as more rocks rained down on the company.

Suddenly, the "mountain" they were on began shifting and standing up, and Gwyn and the rest of the Company realized they were perched on the knees of a third stone giant. The stone giant's legs began to move apart as the thing moved to join the fray. From her position between Fili and Kili, Gwyn found that she was straddling the growing space between the giant's legs. Her eyes grew wide and just as the was about to lose her balance and plunge to the foot of the mountains Kili grabbed her hands and Fili pushed on her shoulders, sending her sprawling straight into Kili. The two landed hard against the side of the mountain, but luckily did not lose their balance enough to send them over the cliff. However, they had to watch, helpless, as the stone giant that the second half of the Company was riding collapsed against the mountain, felled by a boulder thrown by another giant. Kili let out a hoarse shout when the giant fell to the base of the mountain, no evidence of the hitchhikers on its knees. The remaining members of the Company surged forward, relieved when they saw their kin leaning against the side of the mountain, relatively unharmed.

"Where's Bilbo?" Bofur asked. While everyone was looking for the hobbit, Gwyn fetched the _hithlain_ from her pack. Just as she was unwinding the rope, she heard Bilbo's shout from over the edge of the cliff. Thinking quickly, Gwyn threw one end of the rope down to him, and the other end she passed along the line of dwarves, and working together they pulled the hobbit to safety, although Thorin had jumped down to give the Halfling a boost over the edge. Bilbo quickly released his end of the rope, which Gwyn tossed to Thorin, and the Company repeated the process to haul Thorin back.

The Company soon took shelter in a cave they found. Gwyn was quite nervous, realizing that this cave was the Front Porch to Goblin Town. Without divulging that information, Gwyn urged the dwarves to keep searching for a different cave to shelter in. Thorin silenced her, saying that he would not risk the lives of the Company again, simply because a young girl was uneasy. Gwyn swallowed any further protestations, knowing that Thorin would continue to ignore her. Gwyn settled into a corner of the cave, placed where she could see both the back of the cave and the entrance.

Since the Company was no longer moving, they quickly grew even more chilled than they had been trudging through the rain. Gwyn, in her corner, began to shiver quite violently. Fili and Kili heard the girl's teeth chattering loudly, and began to help Gloin prepare a fire, until Thorin declared that there was not to be a fire that night. Not wanting to argue, the brothers went over to where Gwyn was huddled up trying not to freeze. They sat closely on either side of her, lending her their warmth. Gwyn smiled at them and muttered her gratitude through the chattering of her teeth.

"Well, we wouldn't want our princess to catch cold," Kili said with a grin, while Fili smiled at her. The other members of the Company heard this exchange, and they all traded significant glances with each other, but none of them questioned the young dwarf's particular word choice. Gradually though, the dwarves began to drift off to sleep, and Gwyn herself grew drowsy nestled between the warm bodies of Fili and Kili. She was vaguely aware of movement across the cave and a conversation between Bofur and Bilbo. When she heard Bofur ask the hobbit why his sword was glowing, though, Gwyn snapped to alertness, jostling her guardians on either side of her. Within moments of Gwyn's abrupt awakening, Thorin noticed the sandy floor of the cave falling away and yelled for the others to wake up. When the floor fully collapsed, it sent the Company tumbling arse over tea kettle, before landing on a rickety platform, surrounded by goblins. Gwyn caught Thorin's eye and flashed him a look that clearly said "I warned you we should have sheltered in another cave." The dwarf huffed, irritated at the fact that the girl was proven right.

The Company was vastly outnumbered, but that didn't stop them from fighting against the goblins herding them along a path. Eventually, the Company was stopped before a massive, crudely made throne. Atop the throne sat the biggest, ugliest goblin any of the company had ever seen. He was singing a horrible song, dreadfully off key, accompanied by discordant bunch of "musical" instruments. When Gwyn looked at the creature though, she was intensely reminded of a particularly odious ex-boyfriend of hers, and these thoughts made her snicker. Her laughter had the unintended consequence of drawing the attention of the Great Goblin to the girl.

"What do we have here? A girl traveling with dwarves? And it looks as though she's the youngest member of the rag-tag bunch. Bring her here!" the Great Goblin called to his minions. Several hands grabbed at Gwyn from her position in the middle of the group. While the dwarves fought against the hands holding them back from getting between Gwyn and the Great Goblin, Gwyn went along relatively willingly, knowing that she would only make the situation worse for herself and her friends.

With a raised eyebrow, Gwyn addressed the Great Goblin, "So what are you planning on doing to me? Are you going to make me squawk, so that the others talk? Are you going to use the Bone Breaker on me? Or what about the Mangler? Are you going to use that?" The dwarves behind her began shouting at the goblins not to touch a hair on her head, but the Great Goblin was noticeably becoming angry at the lack of fear in the face of this tiny little girl. Gwyn smirked at the Goblin, enjoying his frustration.

The Great Goblin turned to address the dwarves. "Tell me why you came into my kingdom armed as you were, and I might let the bitch live." At this, the goblins holding Gwyn tightened their grips on her, and the goblins holding Fili and Kili struggled to maintain their grips on the princes. Gwyn looked at the dwarves and shook her head minutely. They remembered her quick thinking with the wargs before, sending them off in different directions, and the dwarves knew that Gwyn's mind was busily churning through different ways to free the Company. When the goblins noticed Thorin's sword, Orcrist, however, everything went to hell.

The goblins cried out in fear at the elven blade, and they began beating the dwarves. Thinking faster than she ever had before, Gwyn remembered how the Great Goblin's voice had echoed on the last notes of his "song," and a rough plan formed. She quickly took a deep breath, opened her mouth, and released the loudest, longest scream of her life, which echoed painfully shrilly around the cavern. The goblins all released their holds on the dwarves, the girl, and their weapons in favor of clapping their hands over their ears. Just as Gwyn was about to run out of air, Gandalf appeared in a blinding flash of light, further dazing the goblins. The dwarves took up arms, and began fighting their way to freedom.

As the Company began making their escape, Gwyn unsheathed her twin swords and gracefully cut down goblins in the way. Dwalin and Thorin led the way, clearing the path of goblins, but all members of the Company were engaged in battle against the enemies that vastly outnumbered them. At one point, the Company's way was blocked by more goblins than could be cut down. Thinking quickly once again, Gwyn grabbed one of the torches lighting the way, and approached Nori.

"I've seen you drinking something from that hip flask of yours along this journey. Is it alcohol of some kind?" she asked.

"It is, but I'd wager it's stronger than you're used to," the thief answered warily, holding out the aforementioned flask.

"That's perfect. I don't plan on drinking it!"

Just as the dwarf was about to protest, Gwyn took a mouthful of the liquor, and facing the goblins, held the torch out in front of her and sprayed the liquor through the flames of the torch, burning the goblins barring the path. The way cleared, the Company took off running again, until the Great Goblin himself stood in their way. Once Gandalf had dispatched the foul creature, the rickety bridge the Company was standing on collapsed underneath the strain. Everyone was jostled about painfully, until the structure hit the floor of the cave with a crash.

"Well that could've been worse," Bofur said, cheerfully. As he finished saying that, the corpse of the Great Goblin fell on top of the dwarves.

"Speak for yourself, Bofur. You're not stuck underneath everyone!" Gwyn snapped, voice rough from her scream and then the burning alcohol she had taken from Nori. Sure enough, as the dwarves began freeing themselves, Gwyn was still trapped.

"If you lot intend for me to save your arses again, I'm going to need some help here…I can't move!" Gwyn was wriggling about, trying to loosen the rubble trapping her, but it wouldn't budge. Fili and Kili rushed forward, and working together with Gwyn, Bofur, Dwalin, and Gloin, they managed to pull Gwyn free.

Looking up, Kili noticed the goblins swarming down to continue the fight with the dwarves. He drew the others' attention to the goblins, and the Company began running again, this time heading for the literal light at the end of the tunnel. Once the Company reached the fresh air, they slowed to a stop. Gwyn was coughing harshly, still winded from being trapped underneath rubble, dwarves, and a dead goblin king. She sat down, and Fili handed her his waterskin, which she took gratefully. After a few mouthfuls of the cool water soothed her burning throat, she turned to Nori.

"What the hell was in that flask of yours? It was worse than the moonshine my mother made me try once!" Gwyn's voice was still rough, and her throat still burned, but it was further calmed by another drink of water.

"Oh that? It's my special recipe. I distill the spirits myself," Nori said with a sly smirk.

"So, basically it's dwarvish moonshine. Remind me to NEVER drink that again!" The dwarves laughed at her reaction, until Gandalf noticed that Bilbo was missing. Looking around, no one could see any sign of the hobbit.

"I'll you where he's gone. The Halfling has gone back to the Shire. He's thought of nothing but his soft bed and warm hearth since he left home. He's long gone by now," Thorin stated with a sneer.

"You underestimate Bilbo. He'll be back. I know it," Gwyn argued. Just then, Bilbo himself appeared, and Gwyn tossed another _I told you so_ look at Thorin. Gwyn smiled when Bilbo explained why he came back and gave him a hug.

"I'm glad you came back, Bilbo, I never doubted that you would," Gwyn said.

"What's wrong with your voice? You sound like you've swallowed nails and they're stuck and rattling around in your throat," the hobbit said, concerned.

"Yeah, that might have been because I was screaming to distract the goblins so that we could try and escape," the girl said, with one of her now characteristic smirks.

"That was you? I heard that down at the roots of the mountain!" Bilbo was amazed at the volume the girl's voice had reached him at.

The dwarves began laughing and complaining that their ears were still ringing, to which Gwyn responded, "Well it worked, didn't it? We are free of the goblins now!" and as she said that, the Company heard the howls of wargs.

"Out of the frying pan," Thorin said.

"And into the fire, run. RUN!" Gandalf shouted.

The Company quickly scrambled up into the trees clinging to the cliff that the wargs had chased them to. Holding herself steady against the trunk of the pine she, Fili, Kili, Thorin, and Bilbo were hidden in, Gwyn watched as an orc, none other than Azog the Defiler, began taunting Thorin. Gwyn could see the disbelief, fear, loathing, and anger Thorin felt cross his face. Looking at the orc, Gwyn felt her stomach drop at the cruelty in his face. His warg too, looked just as cruel as its master.

The rest of the warg pack were throwing their weight against the trunks of the trees the Company were hiding in, trying to knock them down. Gandalf came up with the idea of tossing flaming pinecones to the ground around the trees, forming a barrier to block the wargs. He began to distribute the projectiles to the dwarves and Bilbo, all of whom began to throw the pinecones as hard as they could. Looking at the situation, and seeing Azog and his white warg watching the scene before them, Gwyn had an idea. She drew an arrow from her quiver and asked Gandalf to light it from the pinecone in his hands. The wizard raised his eyebrows at the request, but he acquiesced nonetheless. Putting the now flaming arrow to her bow, Gwyn drew back passed the usual release point, overdrawing the bow. Taking aim, Gwyn loosed the arrow and gave a triumphant shout when it hit its target – the chest of Azog's warg. The beast began to panic as the flames licked at its fur, unseating the pale orc.

The orc roared a challenge at the warg, which cowered before its master's fury. The beast dropped to the ground, allowing Azog to re-mount the warg, and extinguishing the flames simultaneously. Gwyn was rather pleased to see that the warg's chest was badly burned, weakening it. As the trees, first weakened by the wargs, and further weakened by the fire at their bases began to topple, the members of the Company began leaping from tree to tree, until all 16 members were clinging to one tree on the very edge of the cliff. As that tree began to slant over the cliff, Thorin stood tall and drew Orcrist from its sheath. Grabbing his oak shield with his left hand, the dwarf began striding towards the pale orc, who grinned malevolently. Thorin picked up his pace until he was sprinting to meet his enemy. Azog urged his warg into a leap that caught Thorin mid-air. The beast knocked the dwarf off his feet and turned as Thorin began to stand to meet the charge again. This time, the warg clamped its jaws around Thorin, drawing a pained cry from his lips. The stoic dwarf cried out every time the warg bit down around his body, until the beast finally tossed him aside.

As Azog ordered one of the other orcs to decapitate Thorin, Bilbo charged to protect the leader of the Company. Gwyn smiled at the ferocity of Bilbo's attack on the orc about to kill Thorin. Encouraged by the Halfling's bravery, the rest of the company raced to face their enemies. As she ran, Gwyn unsheathed her twin swords, deciding to use them separately in this battle. Gwyn began twirling her swords around, cutting down orcs and wargs with every pass of her blades. One opponent though, did manage to land a hit on Gwyn, which sent her reeling momentarily, though she quickly recovered enough to kill the offender.

Soon, great eagles began swooping in on the Company and their enemies. The eagles kicked up the flames with their wings, they tossed the wargs over the cliffs, and when the enemies were on the run, the eagles began scooping up the dwarves before flying away. Gwyn somehow found herself on the back of the same eagle with Fili and Kili, and the three quickly fell asleep huddled together on the back of the great eagle. Too soon though, the eagles began landing on top of a Carrock.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my original character. Everything else is property of New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc.

Author's Note: Lucky you! Two chapters in one weekend! Consider this an apology for making everyone wait so long between chapters 4 and 5.

* * *

The Company dismounted from their respective eagles and rushed over to Thorin's unconscious body. Gandalf knelt beside the dwarf and placing a hand on Thorin's brow, muttered a spell under his breath. Thorin's eyes fluttered open, and he asked after the Halfling. After Thorin had thanked Bilbo for saving his life, and admitted he had been wrong in his assumptions about the hobbit, the Company looked out and got their first glimpse of the Lonely Mountain.

Gwyn fetched her pack, which she had miraculously hung onto through all of the chaos of Goblin Town and the fight against Azog on the cliff. The others had not been so lucky, many of them now without supplies. Rooting around in her pack, Gwyn quickly found the satchel of healing supplies Lord Elrond had given her. Drawing out a small jar of greenish paste that said "to treat deep wounds" on it in neat script, Gwyn began tending to Thorin's injuries that were within her reach. Oin noticed though that Gwyn kept drawing her sleeve across her forehead. Sitting her down, the old dwarf realized Gwyn had a cut above her eye that was bleeding freely.

"You should use some of that Elvish paste on yourself lassie, lest that cut of yours become infected," the healer said.

"I'll be fine. Thorin needs this paste more than I do," Gwyn replied.

"Oin's right, Gwyn. That would be a terrible wound to be infected," Kili said, with an uncharacteristically somber look on his face. Fili, standing next to his brother, nodded in agreement.

"I promise, I'll be fine. This is merely a cut, while Thorin probably has bruised, if not cracked or broken, ribs as well as various puncture wounds. He needs tending to more than I do," the girl insisted.

"You should at least let Oin clean that cut, otherwise it might scar," Fili added. The other members of the Company chimed in with their agreement, and Gwyn acquiesced, realizing she was outnumbered.

Oin drew out of her satchel a small bottle that said "for cleaning cuts" on it in the same neat script. Dampening a clean bandage with the liquid in the bottle, the dwarf began wiping at the cut on Gwyn's forehead. The liquid stung quite a bit, so Fili and Kili sat on either side of her, trying to distract her from the pain. When the other members of the Company were satisfied that Gwyn had been tended to satisfactorily, they began preparing to set up camp, for they had not rested in many days, nor had they eaten in that time. While the others were bustling about Gwyn continued to clean Thorin's wounds.

"I have thanked the hobbit for his actions saving my life, but I have not yet thanked you for your actions. Your quick thinking in Goblin Town saved not only my life, but the lives of all of the members of this Company. For that I am forever grateful, for my sister's wrath would have been worse than a dragon's had anything happened to my nephews," Thorin said. Gwyn was quite startled by Thorin's gratitude, and his attempt at humor. She blushed and quickly finished her task, before muttering "You're welcome," and walking away.

That night, once again nestled between Fili and Kili, Gwyn found it difficult to sleep. Her mind was racing, trying to process everything that had happened since the company departed Rivendell. Her mind lingered particularly on Kili's words in the cave, before the Company was dropped into Goblin Town. _"Well, we wouldn't want our princess to catch cold," he'd said, but what did he mean by that?_ Then there were his and his brother's actions in Goblin Town, when the Great Goblin was threatening to kill Gwyn. _They'd both looked absolutely murderous at the thought of any harm coming to me. The other dwarves wanted to protect me, sure, but Fili and Kili both looked like they would kill anyone who harmed me. Why are they so protective of me?_ Of course, these thoughts led Gwyn down the path of thinking about how she felt about the two dwarves. She knew that she was attracted to them, but she wondered about how deep that attraction went.

Morning came and Gwyn had barely slept. She did not let that slow her down though, and soon the Company was on the move again. The trek down the Carrock was slow and occasionally treacherous, but by the end of the day the entire company had made it down safely. The dwarves set about setting up camp again, and Gwyn set off to gather firewood. She had a sizeable stack of wood in her arms when she heard footsteps approaching her from behind. She froze for a moment, listening closely, before continuing her chore. After a few moments she called out, "I can defend myself you know." She heard laughter and turned to face Fili and Kili.

"We've come to help you. You look very tired today, so Kili and I thought you might appreciate the company and the assistance. Besides, Uncle said that no one was to leave camp alone," Fili said with a rather charming smile. Kili flashed her a grin before reaching to take the stack of wood in her arms.

"Thank you. I am tired, but I can manage gathering firewood just fine on my own. I do appreciate the company though," Gwyn responded with a small smile.

"Why couldn't you sleep last night?" Kili asked gently.

"I was thinking. How did you know I couldn't sleep?"

"We were on either side of you, we could feel you tossing and turning. What were you thinking about?" the darker haired dwarf answered.

"Oh. I am terribly sorry if I disturbed you. Aren't you tired today also?" Gwyn avoided answering Kili's question about what she was thinking about, keeping her confusion to herself for the time being. Although Gwyn had realized, over the course of the sleepless night, that she could very easily find herself falling in love with the handsome dwarf princes. The brothers shrugged, and the three soon had a large stack of firewood to take back to the camp.

That night, as the Company settled down to get some rest, Fili and Kili settled themselves on either side of Gwyn, as usual. They settled themselves a bit closer to Gwyn than they usually did though, pressing close to her and wrapping their arms around her. She figured it was because the brothers had lost their bedrolls in Goblin Town and the ensuing madness, and quickly fell asleep, exhausted from her sleeplessness the night before, and from the exertion of climbing down the Carrock. For the brothers however, sleep did not come as quickly, their thoughts taking a similar path as Gwyn's had the night before. The brothers both knew that they each cared for the girl, and while a situation like theirs was uncommon, it was not unheard of, especially among close siblings, for there to be a shared One between the siblings. Eventually though, the brothers fell asleep, each dreaming of the girl they held in their arms.

The next morning the Company set off again, Gandalf promising a safe place to stay and resupply. Gwyn noticed that since her minor injury in the fight on the cliff Fili and Kili had stayed particularly close to her. She felt herself flush with the implications of the brothers' actions. If any of the other members of the Company noticed the girl's red face, they made no mention of it, although several dwarves did throw winks to each other behind the backs of the girl and her two dwarven guards.

After walking for several hours, Gwyn heard something following the Company. Catching the others' eyes, Gwyn gestured that they were being hunted. She quickly climbed a tree and surveyed the area. That was when she noticed the orc pack heading for the Company. Jumping nimbly from the tree, she informed the others of her discovery. Gandalf and Thorin began urging the Company to run, with Gandalf assuring them that they would be safe with a friend of his.

While they were running, Gwyn tripped over a small outcropping and twisted her ankle with a cry. Fili and Kili turned back to help her stand, and when it became clear that she would not be able to run, Fili hoisted her onto his back as Kili relieved her of her pack. The brothers set off running once they were sure their cargo was secure. After a while Gwyn noticed that the Company had passed through a gate, and they were surrounded by bees that were easily as large as her head, bobbing clumsily from flower to flower. Looking behind, Gwyn saw the orc pack emerge from the woods behind the Company and she gave a shout. Gandalf knocked on the door of the house at the other end of the meadow and when the door opened he quickly requested entrance for himself and his companions, who then piled through the door, relieved to be safe and indoors.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my original character. Everything else is property of New Line Cinema, Peter Jackson, etc. The song that Gwyn sings is "The Song of the Lonely Mountain" written by Neil Finn for the closing credits of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, so I don't own that either.

Author's Note: This chapter kind of got away from me. :) I had a lovely little plan laid out for this chapter, and some of the events weren't going to happen until later in the story, but Gwyn, Fili, and Kili spoke up and wanted to move things forward a bit faster. So here we go.

* * *

Once the door was barred behind them, the Company began to observe their surroundings. Everything in the house was absolutely massive, including the homeowner. Gwyn looked at the man, although she was more tempted to call him a giant, and was amazed, although the fact that Gandalf was at ease around their host did much to reassure the girl.

Fili finally set Gwyn down gently, and when she tried to take a step over to a chair so that she could examine her ankle her leg buckled from the pain and only Fili's hand steadying her kept her from falling to the ground. Fili and Kili helped Gwyn to a seat, before helping her slip the boot from her injured left foot. Oin and Dori, noticing the situation, bustled over to examine the injury.

"It's badly sprained, but it should heal soon with rest. Is there anything in your satchel of healing supplies to treat injuries like this?" Oin said.

"I'm not sure. Kili, could you find the satchel that Lord Elrond gave me?"

After the dwarf had rummaged through her pack for a few moments he retrieved the satchel in question. Looking through it, he withdrew some bandages that looked as though they had been soaked in some kind of mixture.

"Do you think these will work? They're not labeled like everything else," Kili said.

"Bring them here lad, and we'll see," Oin examined the bandages carefully. "These have been impregnated with a mixture of arnica, elderberry leaves, and evening primrose. I'd say they should help." Oin proceeded to wrap Gwyn's left ankle in the bandages and she began to feel relief from the pain almost immediately.

While Gwyn was being tended to, Thorin, Bilbo, and Gandalf were busy explaining the circumstances behind their unexpected visit to their host. At the mention of orcs and goblins, Beorn's face grew thunderous, for he already considered the rag-tag Company to be friends.

"You may stay here as long as you need to, especially seeing how the little kitten over there is hurt," Beorn said, gesturing to Gwyn.

"On behalf of myself and my companions, I thank you for your hospitality, Master Beorn, although I would remind you that even kittens have claws," Gwyn called out to the skin-changer from her seat on the other side of the main room. The large man began to laugh, and conceded that her claws probably were quite sharp. The atmosphere in the house began to relax, and Fili and Kili helped Gwyn find a place to rest her ankle, Kili even going so far as to fetch a cushion for her to prop her injured foot on. Setting her pack down next to her, the dwarves left her to help the others settle in and scrounge up bedrolls to replace those that had been lost in Goblin Town.

Digging through her pack, Gwyn located the Elven comb that had somehow made it into her supplies before the Company left Rivendell. She suspected either Nori or Lord Elrond were behind the sudden addition to her belongings. As she watched the dwarves bustle about and Gandalf sit with Beorn smoking his pipe, Gwyn began to work at untangling her hair, which now reached her hips. She was fighting with a particularly large knot when she felt large hands take the comb from her and begin working it through her hair. Looking back she saw that it was Fili sitting behind her, while Kili was laying out her bedroll between the ones he had found for himself and his brother.

"You know, if you were to braid your hair it wouldn't get so snarled. I think Ori's knitting looked better after I tried my hand at it!" Kili said with a small grin.

"Oh, I'm sure that's true, but knowing my hair, it would still be a mess even if I found some way to braid it out of the way," Gwyn said.

"Well, perhaps you would just need some help then, finding the right braid to keep your hair under control," Fili said softly.

"And I suppose you two know just the way I should braid my hair, do you?" Gwyn countered, with a raised eyebrow.

"We might," but before Kili could finish the statement, he and his brother, who had finished ridding Gwyn's hair of tangles by this point, were called away by their uncle. Kili's vacated seat was quickly filled by Bofur and Nori pulled up a chair next to him. The both wore similarly mischievous looks, and Gwyn groaned internally at the teasing they were sure to offer up. They did not disappoint.

"So, lassie, we couldn't help but notice how attentive Fili and Kili have been to you. Why, Fili even brushed your hair! Do I smell the sweet blossoms of love surrounding you three?" Bofur teased.

"We heard your conversation just now. Are you intending to let the brothers braid your hair? You know what that means to dwarves, don't you? It's a very important thing, the braiding of hair!" Dori chimed in, as he moved to join his brother, Bofur, and Gwyn. The group had then been joined by Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bombur, and Ori, and all of the dwarves looked eager to hear her answer. If she had been able to see them, she would have noticed Thorin, Fili, Kili, Dwalin, Balin, and Gandalf listening carefully to her response.

Heaving a sigh, Gwyn said without any real anger, "Apparently the stubbornness of dwarves is rivaled only by their curiosity. Why is my personal life any of your business?"

"We care about you, lass, and we want you to be happy," Bofur said. He had apparently named himself the spokesman for the group surrounding her.

"Let it be noted that I do, in fact, know the significance of braids to dwarves. Fili and Kili explained them to me in Rivendell," Gwyn paused, noticing a look similar to excitement pass between the assembled dwarves. "And secondly, I appreciate your caring, but this is a conversation to be had in private, between myself, Fili and Kili, when the time comes. Should anything change, you lot will be among the first to know," she finished quietly. The dwarves, somewhat disappointed in her answer, or lack thereof, began to straggle away, only Ori staying to keep the girl company, although they were soon joined by Bilbo. Thorin and Balin were relieved that the lass had handled a potentially difficult situation with a large degree of diplomacy.

As Gwyn sat and talked with Ori and Bilbo, she noticed that Fili and Kili kept throwing expectant looks at her. Each time she caught them though, they quickly turned back to their uncle, which made Gwyn somewhat suspicious of what they could have been discussing. If her ankle hadn't been injured, she would have already approached the dwarves and insinuated herself into their conversation. As it was, her mind could only jump to conclusions.

When dinner was announced, Gwyn made to hobble over to the table, but she was suddenly airborne as Beorn carried her like a child and set her down between Fili and Kili. She flushed with embarrassment at being treated like a child, and her red face made everyone at the table begin to laugh. She huffed and muttered that she would have been able to walk to the table just fine. Her muttering only served to increase the laughter around her, until she resolutely turned to the food on the table and began eating, ignoring everyone else at the table.

"Oh, it looks as though I've offended the little kitten. I am sorry Kitten, I should have asked permission before carrying you to join us," Beorn said, failing completely at looking apologetic. The others continued to snicker at Gwyn's new moniker, and at the glare she sent around the table Fili and Kili each draped an arm around her to sooth her. The brothers' plan worked, to her chagrin, which just set the others off laughing again.

"If you're all quite finished enjoying yourselves at my expense, there is food on this table quickly growing cold, and I thought dwarves and hobbits were renowned for their appetites," Gwyn retorted. Realizing that she was right, the Company rapidly tucked into the dinner their host had provided.

After dinner, the Company and Beorn had gathered around the hearth, telling stories and singing songs. Gwyn's ankle was feeling much better, the Elvish bandages having done a remarkable job at quelling the pain and swelling from the sprain. She sat on a bench, with her injured foot once more propped up on a pillow. Fili sat behind her, his arms wrapped snuggly around her midsection, and Kili sat on the floor in front of the bench. Gwyn was full, warm, and comfortable, and she began carding her fingers through Kili's dark hair, occasionally stopping to untangle the snarls that caught her fingers. The dwarf's eyes closed in pleasure at the sensations, and Fili rested his chin on Gwyn's shoulder, his beard tickling her skin.

Gwyn was drowsing from the comfortable companionship around the fire, until she heard Beorn speak.

"So, Little Kitten, do you have a song to sing? You are the only member of this bunch to have not said anything since supper."

Gwyn started at the suddenness of the request, before replying.

"There is a song that seems appropriate for this moment in our quest, although I would ask the permission of my companions before singing it, as it is derived from a song they sang at the start of our journey, before we had even left The Shire." She glanced around at the dwarves, focusing on Thorin. He nodded his assent, so Gwyn straightened her back from where she was leaning against Fili. Taking a deep breath, she began:

_Far over the Misty Mountains rise_

_Leave us standing upon the heights_

_What was before, we see once more_

_Our kingdom a distant light_

Gwyn's voice rose in the stillness, the others entranced to silence by the clear sound.

_Fiery mountain beneath the moon_

_The words unspoken, we'll be there soon_

_For home a song that echoes on_

_And all who find us will know the tune_

She gained strength, having started quietly, now her voice carried power and weight behind it.

_Some folk we never forget_

_Some kind we never forgive_

_Haven't seen the back of us yet_

_We'll fight as long as we live_

_All eyes on the hidden door_

_To the Lonely Mountain borne_

_We'll ride in the gathering storm_

_Until we get our long-forgotten gold_

_We lay under the Misty Mountains cold_

_In slumbers deep and dreams of gold_

_We must awake, our lives to make_

_And in the darkness a torch we hold_

_From long ago when lanterns burned _

_ Till this day our hearts have yearned_

_Her fate unknown the Arkenstone_

_What was stolen must be returned_

_We must awake and make the day_

_To find a song for heart and soul_

_Some folk we never forget_

_Some kind we never forgive_

_Haven't seen the end of it yet_

_We'll fight as long as we live_

_All eyes on the hidden door_

_To the Lonely Mountain borne_

_We'll ride in the gathering storm_

_Until we get our long-forgotten gold_

_Far away from Misty Mountains cold_

The last notes of the song faded away into silence. As Gwyn came to herself, having been focused on the song, she looked around nervously at the faces of the men surrounding her, unsure of what kind of response her interpretation of the dwarves' song would have generated. To her surprise, the dwarves looked at her in unguarded amazement and respect at the amount of feeling she had infused into the song. Smiling gently, she sat back down, having risen to her feet at some point during her performance. Fili once more wrapped his arms around her, and Kili leaned against her and she resumed running her fingers through his hair.

From her place near the fire Gwyn looked up and saw Thorin looking at her with something akin to admiration. She smiled at him and snuggled back into Fili's warmth. Soon the Company began drifting to their bedrolls, and Gwyn was vaguely aware of being lifted in someone's arms before being set gently on her blankets. She felt the arms around her slip away, and instead of warm bodies bracketing her as usual, there was nothing. The chill woke her up a bit, and she sat up, looking around for Fili and Kili. Her eyes soon fell on them speaking quietly with Thorin.

"Uncle, we would like your permission before we go any further with Gwyn. She means a great deal to both of us, and we have reason to believe Gwyn returns our affections. May we court her?" Fili asked. Gwyn could feel herself flushing at the hope in Fili's voice. Thorin was silent for several long moments, and she could tell Kili was doing his utmost to rein in his impatience. Gwyn herself was listening closely, waiting tensely, until Thorin spoke.

"My dear sister-sons. Are you sure that Gwyn would welcome your courtship?" the brothers vigorously nodded their assent, and Thorin searched their faces carefully for any doubts. Seeing none, he continued, "While she is a stranger here, Gwyn has proven herself many times over in battle, and she has acted selflessly to help on this journey. She has honor, bravery, strength, wit, and kindness. She is a good woman, and I give you my blessing." Gwyn released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and smiled broadly, settling back down in her blankets.

There was a rustling on either side of her as the brothers laid down beside her.

"So, how much of that did you hear?" Fili whispered.

Gwyn tried (and failed) to feign sleepy ignorance. Kili snickered quietly when Gwyn gave up the act.

"How did you know I heard anything?"

"We saw you sit up, looking for us. Now, how much of that did you hear?" Fili insisted.

"I heard you ask for your uncle's permission to court me. I didn't realize Thorin thought so highly of me. I'm flattered," Gwyn whispered.

"Why wouldn't Uncle think highly of you? You've saved all of our lives many times now!" Kili whispered. Gwyn sat up so she could see the brothers' faces in the light of the dying embers of the fire. In the dim light she could see expectant looks on both of their faces.

"Well?" Kili prompted impatiently.

"Well what?" Gwyn responded.

"What are your thoughts on our conversation with our uncle?" Fili asked quietly.

Gwyn smirked. "I think I would be better able to answer that question if I were asked properly." The brothers shifted so that they faced her more directly, mindful of her sprained ankle, and each one took her hand.

"Miss Gwyndolyn, daughter of Evangeline and Marcus, we have found ourselves in the position of caring for you, quite deeply," Fili began.

Kili took up where his brother left off, "We are enraptured by your beauty," at this Gwyn blushed, "warmed by your kindness, your wit makes us laugh in the darkest of times, your bravery in the face of danger awes us," Gwyn smiled at the brothers, before they both continued, "would you consent to being courted, by both of us?"

"I find myself caring for both of you very deeply as well. That is what I was thinking about on the Carrock that night. I was trying to sort out my feelings for you. That being said, I would have never dreamed, even in my wildest fantasies, that I would be courted by two dwarves, and brothers at that," the brothers' faces fell, expecting rejection at this point, "I am astounded at your warmth, your humor brings a smile to my face when I would rather frown, your fierceness in battle makes me feel safe, and your gentleness makes me feel treasured. I accept your suit." As she finished her speech, Gwyn leaned forward and kissed each gob struck brother at the corner of their open mouths as they tried to formulate a response. When the reality of the situation dawned on them, each brother placed a chaste kiss upon her cheek.

"What are we going to do about braids though? I don't think Gwyn has any of the customary adornments," Kili suddenly said.

"Ah, about that. There is a small pouch that I've hidden in my pack that I think will interest you both," though they couldn't see it, Fili and Kili could hear the smirk in Gwyn's voice.

"Shall I fetch your pack now?" Fili asked.

"We should wait until morning, if only to better see my surprise." Kili huffed impatiently, and Gwyn took his hand. "If you are worried I will change my mind, I have never been surer of anything in my life." Catching his eye, Gwyn smiled brightly, and Kili could not help himself. Looking briefly to Fili, Kili leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Gwyn's lips. The pair held the kiss for a few moments before breaking away, eyes shining in the dark. Turning her slightly to face him, Fili repeated the motion. Smiling Gwyn broke away before she laid back down on her bedroll, and Fili and Kili followed suit, each of them wrapping an arm around the girl between them, holding her close.

That is how Gwyn woke up the next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten. She noticed that all of the men were still asleep, so she quietly rose and, grabbing her pack, limped to where Beorn had said the bathing room was. Her ankle was significantly improved since the day before, though it still pained her somewhat. Unwrapping the bandages, Gwyn saw that there was hardly any swelling now. Stripping off her dirty clothes, Gwyn sank into the warm water that had miraculously already been prepared. _One of Beorn's dog servants probably did it_, Gwyn thought, as she dunked her head to wet her hair. Gwyn thought of her dwarves, for Fili and Kili were hers now, just as she was theirs. She smiled as she thought of the looks that would cross their faces when she showed them the pouch with the dwarven courtship beads in it. She also thought of the teasing they would likely get from the others in the Company, but she found she was not worried about it, in fact, she was rather looking forward to it.

Gwyn took her time bathing, luxuriating in being clean, much as she had in Rivendell. So immersed was she in her thoughts and the sensations of bathing, that she didn't hear the commotion out in the main room of Beorn's home.

"Where is she?"

" She's gone!"

"And her pack is gone too!"

Shouts rang out across the hall as the dwarves woke up.

Thorin's voice rang out above the din, "Split up and search for her! Fili, Kili, you check the house, the rest of us will search outside!" The dwarves all nodded as they moved to begin their search.

Gwyn had dunked her head under the water once more to wash the last of the soap from her hair when the door to the bathing room flew open. Fili and Kili breathed a sigh of relief that their girl was safe and had not been taken in the night, nor had she run off. The relief passed though, as they took note of her creamy skin contrasting with her dark hair spread like ink through the water. They quickly snapped out of the daze the sight of the naked skin had set them in and hurried off as Gwyn raised her head from the water. She turned at the sound of the door slamming shut, but there was no one there so she shrugged and climbed out of the bath. After running a rough towel over her damp skin she dressed quickly in a clean shirt, tunic, and leggings, having removed her chainmail, corset and bracers the night before, and now used the towel to wring the water from her hair.

Emerging from the bathing room with her things, Gwyn took note of the men milling around preparing breakfast. Fili and Kili flushed uncharacteristically when she smiled at them. Looking between the brothers and the other dwarves, who looked as though they were struggling not to laugh, Gwyn quickly put two and two together.

"Decided to try and sneak a peek did you? Wasn't the look you got at the Trollshaws enough?" Gwyn asked with a smirk and a wink. As the brothers spluttered their responses, she limped over to them and gave them each a kiss on the cheek, causing the dwarves to pause in astonishment. In the calm before the inevitable storm of teasing, Gwyn hobbled over to her bedroll, where she was joined by Oin, who examined her ankle and rewrapped it in the elvish bandages.

"What was that lassie? That was uncommonly familiar of you, especially since you don't have any braids yet," Bofur teased. Bifur muttered something in Khuzdul, and his cousin turned to look at him. "Right you are, Cousin, there is something afoot here in this skin-changer's house, that's changing all of us!" Gwyn started laughing at how utterly wrong he was, but she wasn't about to set him and the rest of the Company straight, not yet at least. When it became clear that Gwyn had been taking lessons in how to be infuriatingly mysterious from their own wizard the dwarves dispersed, off to resupply.

"Last night you mentioned you had a surprise for us hidden away in your pack. May we see it now that it's morning?" Fili asked, having apparently recovered himself after seeing her bathing. Kili still seemed a bit stunned. Rooting around in her pack, Gwyn retrieved her comb and the pouch Lord Elrond had given to her. In the relative privacy they were afforded courtesy of everyone else being busy, she handed the items to Fili to examine. Looking into the pouch, and then quickly showing the contents to Kili, the brothers helped Gwyn stand up before they went off in search of complete privacy, without the chance that one of their companions would interrupt them. Thorin watched the three leave the common room with a surprisingly gentle smile, before turning back to his task.

Finding a secluded room, the two brothers helped Gwyn to take a seat on a cushioned stool they found. Standing behind her, Fili began combing her hair, much as he had the previous day. While Fili was occupied, Kili dumped out the pouch to find two silver beads that were etched with a similar design to all of Gwyn's other belongings. He set those aside, for her to braid into his hair and his brother's hair later. Right now their focus was on displaying their beads in Gwyn's hair. Reaching into a secret pocket of his tunic, close to his heart, Kili withdrew a small clasp and a bead, both etched in curling spirals. Fili reached into his tunic also, and he retrieved a small clasp and a bead, these ones etched with strong geometric shapes. These were the brothers' personal symbols, much as the knots were Gwyn's.

Finished combing through Gwyn's still damp hair, each brother stood on either side of her. Picking a lock of hair from each temple, the brothers first slipped the beads round the top, positioning them to lie flat against Gwyn's scalp. Then, separating the locks of hair into sections, they began to weave the hair into small, intricate plaits. After several minutes, each brother clipped the ends of the braids with their personal clasps.

Moving behind her once more, Fili began to braid the rest of her hair, first beginning a braid down the center of scalp, then bringing her courtship braids to meet at the back of her head he clasped them together with one of Gwyn's clasps, and then weaving other sections in. The finished braid was tight and neat, and Gwyn had no doubt that it would keep her hair from tangling on the rest of the journey. Picking up the largest clasp that had been in the pouch with Gwyn's beads, Fili sealed the end of her braid. The brothers' clasps were visible through the larger braid, and the sight made the brothers swell with pride that the beautiful woman in front of them was theirs.

"You're going to have to teach me the proper way to add the braids to your hair, I've never been much good at it," Gwyn said, having enjoyed the sensation of fingers running through her hair.

"Certainly, although we will not ask you to stand behind us. Kili, sit on the floor between Gwyn's knees," his brother moved to obey, and Fili knelt beside her, guiding her through the motions of plaiting the courtship braid into Kili's hair. When she was finished with Kili, the brothers switched places, and Kili guided her through plaiting Fili's hair, which was more difficult because of his braids that identified him as Thorin's heir.

Courtship official, the three shared a few quiet, private moments, before reemerging from the room. With a final kiss to her lips from each brother, the trio returned to the common room. There were a few members of the Company milling about in the common room, although most were scattered throughout the house. Beorn, Balin, Thorin, Dwalin, and Gandalf were the first to notice the reappearance of the two princes and the girl. Dwalin and Balin startled somewhat at the sight of the braids now adorning the hair of all three, but they did not say anything when they saw the smiles on their faces. Gandalf smiled around his pipe, nodding his approval at the development. Thorin, moving more slowly than usual due to his injuries, which were healing nicely thanks to Gwyn's elvish medicine according to Oin, walked over to the three.

"I see you were right, lads. I am happy for all three of you," with that Thorin returned to looking at maps of Mirkwood, working with Beorn, Gandalf, Balin, and Dwalin to try and chart a course through the forest. Soon, the other dwarves began trickling in to the house for lunch. Gwyn smirked at the looks on their faces, and she quickly began laughing at the others, joined by Fili and Kili.

As the Company sat at the table for lunch, Bifur said something in Khuzdul, with a fairly dark look leveled at Fili and Kili. Gwyn was surprised at the look, because it seemed like the dwarf with the ax in his head was always trying to find a smile for her. Bofur nodded in agreement with his cousin, as did Oin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, Ori, and Bombur. Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin all looked amused at whatever Bifur had said. For their part, Fili and Kili looked nervous, and all of this just served to confuse Gwyn.

"Excuse me, but could someone tell me what you lot were agreeing to and why Fili and Kili look as though they've seen a ghost?" Gwyn demanded. Gandalf chuckled into his food, failing utterly at maintaining any semblance of propriety at this point.

"Bifur said that they did wrong by you, because they didn't ask permission to court you. Right now, it's very improper for you to be wearing their braids," Dori explained.

"But they did ask permission. They asked Thorin last night for permission to court me," Thorin leveled a look at her, and she shrugged. Her boys however, still had not relaxed at her sides.

"That's all well and good, but a proper courtship cannot begin until the suitors have the permission of the head of their family, _and_ the permission of the closest male relative to the one they would court," Bofur stated.

"In case no one has noticed, I don't exactly have a family that is easily accessible right now, possibly ever. By your logic, this will never be a proper courtship," Gwyn argued.

"That's where you're wrong lassie, you do have a family here. We're your family, and as such, Fili and Kili should have asked our permission before ever broaching the topic of courtship with you," Bofur said. "are you lads planning on rectifying your mistake anytime soon?"

Fili and Kili turned somewhat helpless gazes to Thorin, seeking guidance.

"This is your mistake, you must undo it if you plan to continue your courtship of Gwyn," Thorin said.

Gwyn slipped her hands under the table and took the hands of her boys, giving them a reassuring squeeze. She felt them relax minutely on either side of her, and she pointedly ignored the stern looks Bofur and Dori leveled at her for her actions. Pushing away from the table, Fili and Kili stood up, and they bowed deeply to the other members of the Company.

"We beg your forgiveness for our oversight. We now humbly request your permission and your blessings to court Gwyndolyn, daughter of Evangeline and Marcus," the two princes said, together. The other members of the Company deliberated amongst themselves for several moments, leaving Fili and Kili to squirm with the tension.

"We accept your apologies, and we grant you permission to court our Gwyn, on the condition that if you harm her in any way you'll have us to answer to," Bofur said, finally cracking a smile. Fili, Kili, and Gwyn flashed answering smiles around the table, although Fili's and Kili's smiles had more than a note of relief to them. The rest of lunch was a cheerful affair, promising more joviality at dinner.

After lunch Gwyn was thoroughly tired of sitting around while her companions puttered. She asked Beorn for a large tub to be filled with water out in his bee pasture, and he agreed readily enough, although he did make a remark about kittens hating water. Gwyn also asked him to string her _hithlain _between two trees to serve as a clothes line and for a large bar of soap. Once the tub was prepared she gathered up her dirty clothes to wash them. Gwyn whistled shrilly, effectively getting the attention of all the dwarves and Bilbo.

"Alright everyone, I'm about to wash clothes. If you have anything to change into, do so now, and I'll wash everyone's clothes. There was a mad scramble, even very dignified dwarves like Balin, Dwalin, and Thorin rushing into the house, and much shouting and cursing as they fell over their packs, tripped over boots, and general chaos reigned while the men were all changing. Soon, each dwarf trooped past carrying their soiled clothes, which they dropped into a pile near Gwyn. Beginning with her own clothes, Gwyn rolled up the sleeves of her shirt to her elbows, and began to scrub. She enlisted Gandalf's help hanging the clothes to dry, since Beorn had inconveniently placed the _hithlain_ too high for Gwyn to reach. It took the better part of the afternoon to work through the pile of clothes, all of which smelled terribly of goblin, and all of which were completely encrusted in grime. Several times, Gwyn had had to ask Beorn to replace the water in the tub, but eventually all the clothes were clean and hanging to dry. When she went back inside all of the dwarves thanked her profusely and Bilbo had muttered his thanks from where he was wrapped in a blanket covering his body. The poor hobbit only had one set of clothes, and those were in as desperate need of a wash as the dwarves' had been. Knowing this, Gwyn had washed Bilbo's clothes early in the afternoon, and so they were dry by the time she had finished.

Gwyn then decided to mend Bilbo's waistcoat for him while he redressed in his clean clothes, managing to track down some mismatched buttons and borrowing a needle and thread from Dori. She sat in her spot near the hearth sewing the buttons on and talking with Bilbo, who had joined.

"Why did everyone kick up such a fuss when they saw your hair? You've finally decided to start pulling it away from your face, but that shouldn't warrant such a reaction. And the conversation at lunch was quite odd," Bilbo mused.

"Fili and Kili asked to court me last night, and so these braids mark me as theirs, just as their braids mark them as mine. This was the first step to go through a dwarven courtship, and the others were surprised, I think, that we decided to take this task on while we are on a dangerous journey. I'm not completely sure about that though, you would have to ask the others. There! All finished!" Gwyn said, handing the repaired waistcoat to the hobbit.

"Thank you so much!" and Bilbo began to admire the sturdiness of her stitches. As he walked away, Gwyn felt a pair of arms slip around her waist and someone press a kiss to the top of her head. Leaning back, she saw that it was Kili.

"You've been awfully domestic today. You wouldn't be trying to prove anything would you?" he teased.

"Perhaps subconsciously. It mostly stemmed from a feeling of uselessness though. I figured if I hadn't washed everyone's clothes, they wouldn't have been washed until well after we reclaimed Erebor," she teased back. Kili laughed and agreed, stating that it was very nice to be wearing clean clothes again.


End file.
